Greg Gianforte

Greg Gianforte, born on April 17, 1961, is a prominent American politician, businessman, and software engineer currently serving as the 25th governor of Montana since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented Montana's at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2021.

In 1997, Gianforte co-founded RightNow Technologies, a customer relationship management software company, alongside his wife, Susan. The company experienced significant growth, going public in 2004 and employing over one thousand workers by that time. In 2011, RightNow Technologies was acquired by Oracle Corporation for one point five billion dollars.

Gianforte's political journey began with his candidacy for governor of Montana in 2016, where he was defeated by incumbent Steve Bullock. However, he successfully won a special election in May 2017 for Montana's at-large congressional seat following Ryan Zinke's resignation. His election campaign was marred by controversy when he was convicted of misdemeanor assault in June 2017 after an altercation with a reporter, resulting in a fine and community service.

In 2020, Gianforte was elected governor of Montana, defeating Democratic nominee and incumbent lieutenant governor Mike Cooney. His election marked a significant moment as he became the first Republican governor of Montana since Judy Martz left office in 2005. Gianforte's political career continued to flourish as he was re-elected in 2024, making him the first Republican to achieve two consecutive terms as governor since Marc Racicot in 1996.